Childhaven Community Nursery School

About Childhaven Community Nursery School

Childhaven Community Nursery School holds the highest possible Ofsted rating, with its most recent ungraded inspection in June 2024 confirming the school remains Outstanding. This is no surprise given its track record: the previous graded inspection in 2015 also awarded Outstanding across the board, and the 2012 inspection did the same. In fact, Childhaven is one of only three nursery schools in the whole of North Yorkshire to hold an Outstanding rating, and it is the only one of those three to have maintained that grade across every single inspection on record. The most recent inspection specifically rated early years provision as Outstanding, alongside leadership and management. For a nursery catering to children aged just two to five, that early years judgement is the single most telling metric — it covers how well staff support children’s learning, development and welfare from the very start of their education.

Because Childhaven is a nursery school, it does not participate in the standard primary school accountability measures like Key Stage 2 SATs or Progress 8 scores. Instead, the school’s academic story is told through its Ofsted outcomes and the quality of its early years provision. The 2024 inspection noted that children make excellent progress from their starting points, with staff skilled at identifying each child’s next steps in learning. The school’s small size — just 77 pupils — allows for highly individualised attention. The local authority context is telling: North Yorkshire has only three state nursery schools in total, and all three are rated Outstanding. That means Childhaven sits in a very select group, but it also means parents comparing options within the LA have no weaker alternative to worry about. The school’s focus is squarely on the early years foundation stage, and the data suggests it delivers that exceptionally well.

The school offers a range of facilities that support its early years focus, including a Forest School, a sensory room, music rooms and an outdoor playground. Sports provision includes gymnastics and swimming, and there is an art club. For children with additional needs, the school lists SEND provisions covering social, emotional and mental health needs, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disabilities. The school is non-denominational and does not have a religious character. As a state nursery, admissions are handled by North Yorkshire Council, and given the school’s Outstanding rating and small capacity, it is likely to be oversubscribed. Childhaven is best suited to families in the local area who want a dedicated nursery setting with a strong track record in early years education, rather than a primary school with a nursery attached. The headteacher is Kathryn Firth.

Key Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Childhaven Community Nursery School

Helpful Guides for Parents